GDT: October 30 | Atl-Slv | SKA-Lev | Spk-Sib | Dnb-Amr | DMn-MNk | Mdv-Adm

[Latgale_fan]

Dream on, buddy. Dream on. At least I can expect my team will win Olympics. If not this time then some other time. Unlike your team that will not win even once in next hundred of years.

But it's going that way... Whenever I read something in Russian media about hockey, it's like ''Sochi, Sochi... must win... glory of Soviet hockey, traditions... skills and finesse... Kovi, Ovie, Malkin... Datsyuk... blah blah blah''. I don't know how it was with Canada in Vancouver, but something as overhyped as Team Russia at Sochi 2014 surely can't meet expectations
Ok, I'm partially joking and I would be glad if Russia won, but seriously... Perhaps it's just our part of the world's inherent sense that you shouldn't overhype things, I've seen it a lot in Latvia and on Russian message boards ''don't overhype this young player, don't overhype that'' that some of us ultimately start to see big hype about hockey as something inherently bad, but I don't know...

Also a big problem for Russia is what happens when they meet Canada in 1/4 finals or 1/2 finals and win... Because only one game really matters to Russians, it's to play Canada and win, not just to play and win. They expect to meet Canada in the final, because well it's Canada and ''we'll play great and they'll play great, we're in different groups'', but I've seen all kinds of Russian teams collapsing after beating Canada prior to the final. Cause that's all that matters to them. Lost to Finns or Swedes next day? Ah, that's nothing. We beat CANADA!!!

 

[alce*]

But it's going that way... Whenever I read something in Russian media about hockey, it's like ''Sochi, Sochi... must win... glory of Soviet hockey, traditions... skills and finesse... Kovi, Ovie, Malkin... Datsyuk... blah blah blah''. I don't know how it was with Canada in Vancouver, but something as overhyped as Team Russia at Sochi 2014 surely can't meet expectations
Ok, I'm partially joking and I would be glad if Russia won, but seriously... Perhaps it's just our part of the world's inherent sense that you shouldn't overhype things, I've seen it a lot in Latvia and on Russian message boards ''don't overhype this young player, don't overhype that'' that some of us ultimately start to see big hype about hockey as something inherently bad, but I don't know...

Also a big problem for Russia is what happens when they meet Canada in 1/4 finals or 1/2 finals and win... Because only one game really matters to Russians, it's to play Canada and win, not just to play and win. They expect to meet Canada in the final, because well it's Canada and ''we'll play great and they'll play great, we're in different groups'', but I've seen all kinds of Russian teams collapsing after beating Canada prior to the final. Cause that's all that matters to them. Lost to Finns or Swedes next day? Ah, that's nothing. We beat CANADA!!!

Isn't it true for Latvia too? It sometimes seems to me that Latvian' fans would prefer to see how their team beat Russia than secure elite group position.
All that hype seems completely normal to me. It's our thing. It's happens every time even in sports we aren't particularly good at. Like football. Next year will be so full of this. Olympics and World Cup in Brazil.

 

[Faterson]

Unlike your team that will not win even once in next hundred of years.

Hahahaha! Yes, like Slovakia kicked Russia's superstar butts in Vancouver, remember? (Must sting to this day, eh?) Slovaks also eliminated Swedes in that tournament, the alleged "all-star Olympic favorite" according to some posters here. Slovakia was millimeters from tying Canada in the final minute of the semifinal game, and led Finland 3-1 after 2 periods in the bronze medal game.

It's definitely possible for a "small nation" team to go all the way in Sochi, and I hope that it will!

 

[obskyr]

Hahahaha! Yes, like Slovakia kicked Russia's superstar butts in Vancouver, remember? (Must sting to this day, eh?) Slovaks also eliminated Swedes in that tournament, the alleged "all-star Olympic favorite" according to some posters here. Slovakia was millimeters from tying Canada in the final minute of the semifinal game, and led Finland 3-1 after 2 periods in the bronze medal game.

It's definitely possible for a "small nation" team to go all the way in Sochi, and I hope that it will!

Yay, Slovakia, yay. Strong like Juraj Janosik.

 

[Faterson]

Slovakia is a lot weaker in 2014 compared to 2010, so I don't think it will achieve much this time. The Vancouver Olympic All-Star Demitra died in Jaroslavľ, several veterans ended their careers.

I include Sweden, Finland, and Czechs among "small nation" teams, so I hope a team like that will win in Sochi.

 

[BalticWarrior]

Isn't it true for Latvia too? It sometimes seems to me that Latvian' fans would prefer to see how their team beat Russia than secure elite group position.
All that hype seems completely normal to me. It's our thing. It's happens every time even in sports we aren't particularly good at. Like football. Next year will be so full of this. Olympics and World Cup in Brazil.

Well no ofc beating Russia is a big priority,but it comes second to securing the elite position,but still alot of our fans would rather win Russia or Sweden and not make 1/4 for example.